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Ray Mcgovern Tells of the Efforts of a Small Group of Americans to Break Israel’S Siege of Gaza

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Ray Mcgovern Tells of the Efforts of a Small Group of Americans to Break Israel’S Siege of Gaza Slow Boat to Gaza Ray McGoveRn tells of the effoRts of a sMall GRoup of aMeRicans to bReak isRael’s sieGe of Gaza ColdType Ray McGovern, a veteran army officer and former CIA analyst, tells of the efforts of the US Boat “Audacity of Hope,” part of the international “Freedom Flotilla II: Stay Human,” whcih attempted to break the siege of Gaza in late June, which was stopped and prevented from sailing by Greek authorities under intense pressure from Washington and Tel Aviv. McGovern works with Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington Photographs by Len Tsou, Laurie Arbeiter and other passengers and ground crew on the Audacity of Hope. These essays originally appeared at www.consortiumnews.com © Ray McGovern 2011 ColdType WRITING WORTH READING FROM AROUND THE WORLD www.coldtype.net 2 | ColdType | January 2011 Slow Boat to Gaza The Audacity of Hope in a Greek military dock after being impounded by coastguards. May 19, 2011 Americans determined to speak to the ❝ aspirations of the 1.5 million ordinary An open letter to With respect Gazans yearning to be free. President Obama to the We will be delivering thousands of let- situation in ters of support and friendship from other Dear Mr. President: Gaza, perhaps ordinary Americans who are persuaded, our speech on the Middle East you will agree as Dr. King put it, that “injustice any- earlier today emboldens me to that it hardly where is a threat to justice everywhere.” claim your protection as we set suffices to I write you for assurance of your sup- out to put flesh on your rheto- bemoan the port and protection as we try to embody Yric. Fifty of your fellow citizens will be your rhetoric. You emphasized that “the fate of one sailing on “The Audacity of Hope” to “Palestinian United States supports a set of universal Gaza next month. rights,” and that this US support is “not who lost three You spoke eloquently today about a secondary interest.” It is, rather, “a top daughters to “times in the course of history when the priority that must be translated into con- Israeli shells action of ordinary citizens spark move- crete actions.” in Gaza,” who, ments for change because they speak Bold words. With respect to the situ- as you put it, to a longing for freedom that has been ation in Gaza, though, perhaps you will building up for years.” And you lament- has a “right agree that it hardly suffices to bemoan ed “failure to speak to the broader aspi- to feel angry” the fate of one “Palestinian who lost rations of ordinary people.” three daughters to Israeli shells in Gaza,” We, the passengers and crew of “The who, as you put it, has a “right to feel Audacity of Hope,” sailing to Gaza in angry.” June together with the 2nd International That Palestinian and his dead daugh- Freedom Flotilla, represent ordinary ters are four, but 1,400 Gazans were killed August 2011 | ColdType | 3 Ray McGovern by Israeli forces in December 1998-Janu- briefing papers. These points transcend ary 1999 – and 1.5 million Gazans remain ❝ rhetoric and spring from a faith heritage deprived of the universal rights of which Many you share with Netanyahu. They deal you spoke. Americans with the doing of justice, the preoccupa- Gaza is a sequestered, crowded open- have long been tion of the prophets of the Judeo-Chris- air prison, in which Israel keeps “inmates” puzzled that tian tradition. at a subsistence level of existence. This you choose Before your meeting, have a look at amounts to the kind of collective punish- to exempt what Isaiah says about “proclaiming ment banned by international law and is Gazans from liberty to captives and release to prison- enforced by an equally illegal Israeli na- your concern ers” and how Jesus of Nazareth repeats val blockade. about universal that, word for word, eight centuries lat- Many Americans have long been puz- rights, and have er. Think about it, and be prepared to put zled that you choose to exempt Gazans justice above politics. tired of waiting from your concern about universal rights, Please let us – and the world – know for a cogent and have tired of waiting for a cogent ex- how the discussion goes. explanation planation. So we ask you to look upon our Yours truly, voyage to Gaza as our attempt to imple- Ray McGovern ment your rhetoric about what ordinary citizens can do – not only to “speak” but to act to meet the broader aspirations of June 18, 2011 the ordinary people of Gaza. On May 20, you will have an opportu- Gaza and nity to inform Israeli Prime Minister Ben- jamin Netanyahu of our intention to sail American ‘Security’ to Gaza next month. You have probably tuffing my backpack before set- already been briefed on Israel’s far-flung ting out to board “The Audacity diplomatic and propaganda offensive to of Hope,” the US boat to Gaza, I prevent our boat and the other boats of got a familiar call from yet anoth- the international flotilla from embarking Ser puzzled friend, who said as gently as for Gaza. the words allow, “You know you can get Indeed, the Israelis may be embold- killed, don’t you?” ened by your lack of response to the I recognize this caution as an expres- killing of nine passengers, including an sion of genuine concern from friends. American citizen, on the 2010 relief flo- From some others – who don’t care about tilla and the wounding of dozens of other Gaza’s plight or who do not wish us well peaceful passengers. This year we expect – the words are phrased somewhat differ- you to speak up for us beforehand. ently: “Aren’t you just asking for it?” And please do not try to pretend that That was the obligatory question/ac- $3 billion of our taxes – our annual gift cusation at the end of a recent interview to Israel – cannot be translated into the taped for a BBC-TV special scheduled to kind of leverage that will spare “The Au- air this coming week as we put to sea to dacity of Hope” from harm at the hands break – or at least draw attention to – of the “Israeli Defense Forces.” Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza and the Finally, allow me to suggest talking suffering it inflicts on the people there. points not likely to be included in your I also have been cautioned by a source 4 | ColdType | August 2011 SLOW BOAT TO GAZA Passengers ready to board the Audacity of Hope. with access to very senior staffers at the ment and free passage for Roman citi- National Security Council that not only ❝ zens in trouble. It was a matter of pride does the White House plan to do abso- Americans are and a benefit of being part of a powerful lutely nothing to protect our boat from put in harm’s empire. Israeli attack or illegal boarding, but that way by the Today, the contrast could hardly be White House officials “would be happy if view held by clearer. It is sad fact that “Civus Ameri- something happened to us.” millions around canus Sum” would engender laughter, They are, I am reliably told, “perfectly the world that rather than respect, if invoked by those willing to have the cold corpses of activ- the United of us working on behalf of justice for the ists shown on American TV.” States is partly Palestinians. I mention this informal warning for Americans also face the reality that responsible for the benefit of anyone who may have they are put in harm’s way by the view the injustices harbored hope that the US government held by millions around the world – and and the would do something to protect us Amer- especially in the Middle East – that the humiliations ican citizens from the kind of violence United States is partly responsible for that Palestinians used by the Israelis against last year’s the injustices and the humiliations that flotilla. Better to be up front and realistic face daily Palestinians face daily. about what to expect. As I make my final preparations, let Two millennia ago, “Civus Romanus me turn around the question/warning Sum” automatically won lawful treat- to me about safety and direct it to those August 2011 | ColdType | 5 Ray McGovern who won’t be onboard “The Audacity of altar of fear and overweening concern for Hope”: ❝ “security.” “You know you can get killed, don’t Bedrock Americans have been so desensitized you?” – if the US government continues American by years of the government’s multi-col- to enable Israel in keeping a million and virtues like ored “terror” warnings and protestations a half Gazans in a densely populated goodness and from politicians that nothing is more open-air prison with few prospects for a honor seem important than the safety of the Ameri- normal life. in very short can people that most citizens utter not The longer that goes on the more supply these a murmur as they watch their tax dol- likely it becomes that many more Ameri- days, having lars enable the worst kinds of brutality cans will become the target of terrorists been sacrificed abroad. seeking to inflict some pain on the great on the altar Or they train themselves NOT to power that stands behind Israel what- watch, preferring the diversion of late- of fear and ever it does. breaking news on Congressman Anthony overweening Wiener’s photogenic “junk.” Suicide Bombings concern for It is mostly to such folks that I include “security” We already know of two suicide bombs the facts that follow, acknowledging that famously targeted against Americans many of you readers are likely to be quite that can be traced to outrage at US sup- familiar with some or all of them.
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